In a statement released Thursday morning, the La Porte Mayor has found that change.

Milo will leave her post as Mayor starting August 14 and will join Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb as the first Secretary of Career Connections and Talent. Her duties will include working with businesses, universities, and other programs that will help Hoosiers find and secure jobs.

The following is the message she sent to the members of the La Porte City Council:

Members of the Council,

Since taking office in 2012, one of the premier issues facing our employers and community as a whole has been connecting workers with jobs in existence or those being created. As I’ve talked with mayoral colleagues and worked with state partners towards addressing this challenge, I’ve learned how this challenge is not singular to La Porte, but a constraint on growth for the majority of communities. I’m tremendously proud of the work La Porte has done to turn this challenge into opportunities, like the partnerships the City has established with GLEDC, the La Porte Community Schools Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce in creating the Business and Education Engagement Program; creating the Workforce Teacher of the Year award, opening a La Porte Ivy Tech location; creating a Talent Attraction and Coordination position and most recently your support of a requirement for all businesses receiving a new economic incentive to commit to working with our students to improve access to workforce educational opportunities. These are all critically important for advancing La Porte as technology continues to change the landscape of our economy and communities.

In recognition of the importance of better connecting Hoosiers with growing and changing employment opportunities, Governor Holcomb is establishing a new position on his cabinet for a Secretary of Career Connection and Talent, and has asked me to serve in this capacity. It is with great excitement for the opportunity to help La Porteans, Hoosiers and Governor Holcomb tackle Indiana’s chief constraints on growth that I have accepted the position. We will focus on reducing mismatched skill sets, unfinished degrees and opioid abuse in the workforce while increasing communication for tailored training pathways, career skills for incarcerated individuals and retention of talented Hoosiers for new career fields we haven’t yet dreamt of.

While I am excited for this new opportunity to serve La Porte and Hoosiers, La Porte is my home and a community full of family, friends, and friends who feel like family. It is also a community on an exciting trajectory of progress and growth. It is with no small amount of sadness that I write to communicate I will be stepping down as Mayor to fulfill this new calling. What lessens that sadness and discomfort of the unknown is the knowledge that we have an amazing team of incredibly talented, dedicated Department Heads and City employees who are at the heart of carrying forth all of the exciting opportunities we’ve developed. Equally critical in this trajectory of growth has been the City Council, Board of Public Works, Redevelopment Commission, Urban Enterprise Association, and many, many other community partners who have collectively enhanced and affected an exciting vision truly making La Porte a Hub amongst a collection of Awesome. I could not in good conscience step into this new role of service if I didn’t know that the leaders of La Porte would ensure that our path to progress was continued. I will forever be thankful to God and this community for the honor to have been a part of the team that has made transformative change for this amazing city we all call home.

I will still be keeping my home and spending significant time in La Porte, and will always make myself available to help the city as best I can during the upcoming transition and after. I will assume the position of Secretary of Career Connection and Talent on August 14 and will work with the new Mayor to ensure the ease of transition is as seamless as possible. Thank you for the opportunity to work and serve with you, and I look forward to continuing to grow La Porte and our state!

With deep gratitude, Blair

Comments have been pouring into her social networks, thanking her for dedication and commitment to making La Porte an amazing place to live and work.

Recent Social Posts

Posted: Yesterday on Twitter

After their first successful pizza giveaway just a few weeks ago, Harley-Davidson of Valparaiso decided one just wasn't enough. So the dealership partnered w/ Domino's Valparaiso & hosted a second pizza giveaway to thank all of Valparaiso for the continued support. Check it out! https://t.co/PHKWZVQk5K